The start of a new year brings excitement for change and the chance to try new things. We have a suggestion for one of your resolutions, and it may be something you’ve never thought about adding to your vision board – cutting energy costs.

In honor of National Cut Energy Costs Day (January 10), we have compiled a list of things you can do to help save energy and big money in your apartments:

1. Turn Down Your Thermostat

Properly maintain your thermostat- you should turn it down when you aren’t home or go to bed, to ensure your heat isn’t continuously kicking on. Never set your thermostat below 62 degrees, the last thing you need is for your pipes to burst.

2. Turn Off Lights

Turn off the lights whenever you leave a room. I’ll be honest – you’d think I celebrate the holidays all year long because I usually have my place lit up like a Christmas tree, but there’s no need for that. If you plan on hanging out in your room the rest of the night, then make sure the kitchen light above your stove is off, you know you aren’t cooking anything else.

3. Use Energy Efficient Lightbulbs

Speaking of lights, try to use energy-efficient, compact fluorescent bulbs in your lamps! Walnut Capital has installed energy efficient bulbs and fixtures in all of our apartments. 

4. Save Water

Run your dishwasher and washer when the machines are fully loaded. I know we can all get a little lazy and just want to run them a few items from time to time, but why not be more cost and time efficient and wait till it’s needed?!

5. Shorten Your Showers

Take shorter showers and try not to make them hot as lava. They say women love hot showers, and I’ll admit, I’m one of them. But it’s essential for all of us to take short showers to use less heat so that we aren’t wasting water and our heating prices stay low.

6. Unplug

We know you have about 20 different things plugged into the outlets that you don’t use on a daily basis…unplug them and save that energy!

7. Carpool

This one can be tricky depending on your commuting situation, but if you can, try to carpool with a coworker or partner. This will ensure we get to use the money spent on gas for some happy hour drinks instead!

We encourage you to take our suggestions and make your own list of things you can change to save right away! Who doesn’t want to live in an energy-efficient home?